Confrontation
by C.Halliwell
Summary: Torchwood story about what might happen if Gwen were to ever confront Jack about his immortality and his life before Torchwood. Possible Doctor Who cross over, read more to find out...
1. Chapter 1

Confrontation

The door sealed to the Hub behind Ianto with a soft hiss, followed with a clang as the gates shut too. Gwen looked over at Jack, sitting in his office. The Hub was empty, besides her and her boss. He looked lost in thought behind the murky glass with the 'T' logo painted on its surface in deep penetrating black.

Gwen was hesitating about this. But then she heard in her head voices of people she'd spoken to about Jack. '_Don't you ever wonder,_' Suzie's voice echoed. '_Who is he?_' '_All the time_.' Gwen had replied. '_We were banking on you_.' Tosh had said over that Chinese so long ago. And then she heard Owen's voice too. He had of course asked her about what she knew about Jack, but she had sworn him to secrecy. After Suzie had said right in front of everyone when they brought her back, she killed him so Gwen had expected the whole team to ask something. But only Owen had asked. '_Who is Jack Harkness?_' Maybe Tosh hadn't asked because she didn't want to pry. But then that's what they did. Torchwood. They investigated aliens. And for all Gwen knew, Captain Jack Harkness could be an alien.

Before she knew what she was doing, Gwen stood up from her own desk and wandered towards Jack's office. She had almost reached the door when she got cold feet and turned right round and headed back in the opposite direction. She thought he hadn't seen her, but – 'Gwen?'

She froze and turned slowly back round. 'Did you want something?' he called through the thin glass. She walked slowly round to the doors and took a deep breath before pushing through them.

'Erm, there's something I wanted to talk to you about, Jack.' She said nervously. She rarely got this nervous but it wasn't everyday she asked her boss who nobody really knew who he was.

'Take a seat.' He gestured to the seat before his desk and she sat gratefully. Her legs were shaking. 'What is it?'

'Jack…' Go on, say it, she dared herself. 'Jack…'

'Spit it out Gwen. Tell me what's going on.'

'There's nothing going on. It's you I wanted to talk about.'

Jack sighed and looked away giving her the very strong feeling he didn't want to talk about this. But she'd anticipated this. And she wouldn't give up. 'Who are you, Jack? Where are you from? What happened to you when you died?'

'What's with the twenty questions, Gwen?' Jack demanded, raising his voice.

'Why is it so hard for you to open up? You can't just tell me you died and not explain what happened and not expect me to be just a _little bit_ curious!' She stared him down as he glared at her.

But then he did what she didn't expect. He closed his eyes… and smiled to himself. 'I was happy, Gwen Cooper.' He said, opening his eyes. 'Truly happy. Me, Rose and the Doctor.'

She didn't question him. She just waited for him to continue.

'You probably wanna know how it all started, right?'

She shrugged. 'Who was the Doctor?'

'A Time Lord. He travelled through Time and Space in his TARDIS. He was the reason Torchwood was founded because he was an enemy of Queen Victoria. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I used to be con man. But then I met Rose Tyler. An ordinary, but out of her Time – literally – 19 year old girl. She led me to the Doctor. She was his best friend when we met. I tried conning them but then I made a mistake and ended up endangering the human race. I could've died fixing it but the Doctor came back for me when I thought I was a goner. We travelled for a while but then we came against an alien race called the Daleks in the year 200,000 who fought against the Cybermen at Canary Wharf last year. But these were _insane_, created to worship a monster. I was human when I died.'

'What happened?' Gwen asked.

'I died to give the Doctor more time to prepare his weapon which would wipe out the Daleks. One Dalek laser, straight in the chest.' H tapped his chest. 'I thought I was gonna die, I would've been _happy_ dying knowing I gave him more time to save the world. But then, I woke up. Came back to life. And then I find the Daleks in piles of dust on the floor and I saw the TARDIS with the Doctor and I presume Rose. They just left me there. All on my own.'

Gwen sighed and went over to Jack. She knelt in front of him and e bowed his head. She took his hands in hers. 'I thought we were friends, Gwen.' And then she saw for the first time a tear roll down his cheek. He stayed silent for a moment and then wiped it away, resuming his façade that he was alright and nothing ever emotionally hurt him. 'That's why I wait here. I'm waiting for him to come back. You know the chameleon circuit where the lift is? That's because that's that very spot is where the TARDIS came to pick up fuel from the Rift when I was still on board.'

'What happened to Rose then? Did she go with him after you died? Where was she from?'

'This Time. The 21st century. She always came back here to visit her mother, that's what the Doctor told me.'

'Have you tried finding her?'

'No.' Jack shook his head. I don't know what I'd say. I don't even know if she ever got back with him. He sent her back here last I knew when he thought she'd be safer away from the fighting. But they were inseparable, you know?'

Gwen nodded. 'You should try finding her, Jack. You could get some answers.'

Jack looked Gwen deep in the eye and nodded slowly. He stood up, and so did Gwen from her kneeling position. 'Do you wanna help me?' he asked.

'Ok.' Gwen smiled, walking out his office side by side with him. 'So what time are you from Jack? The past or the future?'

'I can't believe you're asking me that! Obviously the future. The 51st century.'

'Bloody hell!' Gwen said in amazement. 'That's like, 30 thousand years away.'

'Tell me about it!' He said as they arrived at the Main computer. He sat down and Gwen pulled up another chair to sit beside him.

'Are you ready for this?' She asked. 'We may not find anything.'

'Oh there'll be something.' He said. 'There always is.' He brought the keyboard closer and searched their database for Rose Tyler. And the first thing that came up gave him an amazing shock. It was a news article about her death.

He read through it quickly, Gwen holding his free hand. He finished reading and said, 'She died at Torchwood One. He was there too. He killed her like he killed me.'

**Sorry everybody if this is a bit confusing, but I just felt the urge to write down what could happen if Gwen ever confronted Jack about his past.**

**Please review though, and tell me what you think, if you think this story could go somewhere and follow its own storyline or just to tell me what you thought of my imaginary scene all comments are appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks you everyone for your reviews! My brain has been buzzing with ideas so I thought best write it before I forget…**

Chapter 2:

'I'm gonna kill him.' Jack snarled.

'Jack, it may not be what you think –' Gwen started.

'Rose is _dead_ because of him, and you think I'm just gonna let him get away with it?'

'Even if you were to talk to him, how could you make contact? He could be anywhere!' Gwen argued.

'He comes when something goes wrong in Time. Something bad happens… if I can create a situation it would draw him right in!'

Gwen was startled by this side of Jack. She'd seen it before when he'd held Ianto at gunpoint. And she didn't like it. 'Jack, you shouldn't just get angry without finding out the facts. At least try and find something out from the Torchwood One archives that might have something which could help us figure out what happened! Please just take a deep breath and listen to me!'

Jack looked at her. But despite all his emotions, he slowly lifted his arm and ran his hand through her long dark hair. She was transfixed by his empty eyes. And then she blinked and came back down to earth. She cleared her throat, stood up and went over to her own computer, leaving him staring after her. She began typing and searching Torchwood Ones mainframe and records. At last she found a mention of the Doctor. It was more like a blog from an anonymous ex-employee. 'Jack?' Gwen said. 'I think I found something.'

'What is it?' he asked coming over to her side. He read the text quickly. It was from a security guard who watched their CCTV as a safety precaution. 'It's dated the day after the battle.' Jack said, more to himself than to Gwen. It said how one day, even through all the extraordinary stuff he'd seen on the CCTV, that day he saw something unimaginable. The wall had opened up, sucking in the Daleks from the sky outside as two figures clung on for dear life to things stuck onto the wall.

Jack didn't look at Gwen. But he spoke, and he said, 'I want that CCTV.'

Gwen nodded and started towards the phone. 'I'll get right on it.'

'Gwen.' He said softly, leaning against her chair with one hand. She stopped. 'It's one am. Do it tomorrow. Go home.'

'Are you sure? You don't want me to stay? Keep you company?'

He gave her a quick half smile then shook his head. 'Go home, Gwen Cooper. Go home to your boyfriend.'

Gwen walked over to him and gave him a hug. 'I'll see you tomorrow, Jack.' She said quietly, and left him standing alone in the Hub.

**Sorry this chapter is far shorter than the other one but I thought it was a good place to end the chapter. Will update soon, and please continue with your fantastic reviews! This is no longer a one shot!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks again for your reviews they really do give me the heart to carry on and show that people are reading!**

Chapter 3:

Gwen arrived at the Hub at 9am the next morning. As she came in through the entrance, she saw Tosh, Owen, Ianto and Jack were already there. 'Morning,' she said unenthusiastically, as she dumped her coat on the back of her chair.

She looked round at everyone. Ianto making coffee; Toshiko busy leafing through files; Owen… well, Owen was doing a search on the computers. And then there was Jack. He'd gone back into his office and was talking on his mobile to someone.

Gwen decided to go talk to him now and knocked quietly on his door. he beckoned her in and she sat down quietly for him to finish.

'Yeah okay. That's fine. It'll be fully processed with a complete description in a week. Bye.'

'Who was that?' Gwen asked.

'Torchwood Two in Glasgow. Their computers are down and they really need to analyse an alien object. But I'll get Tosh on it when it arrives.'

Gwen nodded. 'Are we not busy this morning, then? I thought I'd make a start tracking down that CCTV you want.'

'No we're not busy. But if Tosh isn't that busy, you might need her help getting into Torchwood One's records. They'll probably have been encrypted since it went down.'

'Ok. Well I'll see how far I get. I won't let you down, Jack.' She got up and turned to go.

'Thanks Gwen,' he said. 'For everything.' She gave him a small smile and left the office.

Three hours later, as Gwen was starting to think about lunch, she was still at the computer, getting closer to finding the right file on Torchwood One's mainframe. Jack had been correct in saying she'd need Tosh's help; she wouldn't have been able to get as far as she had without her. Tosh had asked why she needed to get on there, and Gwen had just said Jack needed something looked up.

Then, suddenly as she clicked into another programme, she saw what she was looking for. She saved the location in the programme and sent it to Jack's laptop. Then she looked for him, and found him upstairs in the Boardroom whilst he was looking through some files. 'I found it!' Gwen said. 'I sent it to your office computer.'

Jack shot up from his seat and as he jogged down the stairs with Gwen on his tail, he declared everybody take a break and go out for lunch. There were no arguments as everybody headed out, except Owen raising his eyebrows at Gwen before following the others.

When the door was sealed and everybody was gone, Jack and Gwen went into his office and he settled on his chair whilst she hovered behind him so she could watch as well as uploaded the page. He selected the CCTV from that day, and fast-forwarded until the wall opened up. 'Aren't you going to watch the before bit?' Gwen wondered.

'This is the only bit I'm interested in.' he said quietly. He watched intently as there was no volume, as the Daleks were being sucked in, and he watch with his eyes wide as he saw Rose reaching for the lever that had unlocked, slowing down the sucking process. He saw how the wall was pulling at the Doctor (who Jack noticed was different but somehow knew was the Doctor) and Rose and that they were using some kind of alien magnets to keep themselves held. But then Rose reached for the lever and let go of the magnet. She locked the lever back into place but the force pulling her was too strong as she struggled to hold on. Jack couldn't see the Doctor's face as the camera had been behind them, but he saw the Doctor tense as Rose slowly began to lose her grip.

Jack took a deep breath and forced himself to continue watching. Gwen put her hand on his shoulder and felt he was tense too. They both watched in silence as she lost her grip and headed straight for gaping hole behind her. Just as Jack thought she was going to be sucked in, a man appeared out of no where that he didn't know, grabbed Rose before she fell in, and disappeared with her.

Gwen suddenly became aware of Jack's breathing and she realised he had been holding his breath as Rose had plummeted towards the hole.

The breach closed behind her and they continued to watch as the Doctor walked slowly let go of his magnet and stood with his hand against the wall she had almost fallen through.

Jack looked up at Gwen, guilt in his eyes as he stopped the CCTV.

'She didn't die.' He said weakly. 'He lost her.'


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks again everyone for your great reviews! They're a great boost, they really are!**

Chapter 4:

Gwen wrapped her arms round Jack and he clung onto her as if she was the one thing he had left. 'Jack,' she said quietly, letting go of him gently. 'There must be some way of contacting the Doctor without causing havoc in space and time or whatever. There's gotta be something!'

Jack closed his eyes for a moment as he thought, hard. They snapped open and he smiled.

'What is it?' Gwen asked.

'The Doctor's ship, the TARDIS had a phone connected. If we could get the number…'

'Jack, it's a bit of a long shot…' she said sceptically.

'Gwen, I've done my research. Years back, the Doctor worked for UNIT. If we can find out if they were in contact with him… we could –'

'What, phone him? And say what exactly? "Hello, I've been going to any lengths humanly possible to find you and now I have, so could you please come here so we can have a proper talk?"'

Jack sighed. 'You're right. A phone call would be too awkward. What would you do in my shoes?'

'Well, I'd probably carry on waiting. Until the time is right and he comes back on his own. How long ago was the battle at Torchwood One anyway?'

'About six months ago. That's when Ianto came up to Cardiff from working there. He was one of the few employees who survived…'

'Maybe… the Doctor needs time on his own. Maybe he doesn't want to come back yet. You said it yourself; Rose was born in the 21st century so perhaps he doesn't want to be reminded of it.'

'Except something is bound to happen soon, Gwen, that'll make him come. I can feel it. The Rift is getting more and more dangerous, it needs power to be drained from it which only the TARDIS can do, and it's sucking in time and space and spitting it out here on our very doorstep! He'll come back here if something happens. I know it.'

Gwen said nothing, just left the room to leave Jack in contemplative silence.

She didn't know whether Jack was fooling himself or whether he really could feel something happening. But then was she feeling something too? A feeling that she kept pushing to the back of her mind. Something was going to happen, and as Jack had said on their very first meeting: The 21st century was when everything changed. And they had to be ready.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you readers for reviewing Chapter 4! Please the comments coming**

Chapter 5:

Jack stood once again on the roof like he did every morning. Just before Cardiff rose, he'd go up there and just stare out at the horizon on the Bay, looking back on his life, wondering what his life would be like if things were different: if he hadn't died, would he still be travelling in the TARDIS. And what he'd do if the Doctor ever came back.

Jack knew the Doctor would come soon. He couldn't explain, he just knew it. He had realised the Rift was spreading and increasing in the amount of energy it held. And if it wasn't drained then it would rip open the city and leave a big hole in the Earth where the UK once was. The Doctor was their only hope. Was his only hope.

Then there was Gwen. Whenever after work, the team had gone down to quiet little pubs, sometimes Jack and Gwen stayed a bit later on their own and talked. Jack opened up mainly about his life with the Doctor and Rose but not much about his life before that.

He thought of Rose and how hard it must've been for her to have been literally torn apart from her best friend. That was another thing he desperately wanted to ask the Doctor. Where was Rose? She was listed as officially dead and yet he had seen with his own eyes, on the CCTV being teleported out into God knows where. He realised, as he thought about it he was practically making a mental list of things he needed to know. Where was Rose now? Was she safe? Happy? Alone? How had he suddenly become immortal after his death back on the GameStation? What was powerful enough to enable him to survive such injuries as gun shot wounds, being shot point blank through his head?

And then Jack thought about questions he'd have to decide for himself. If the Doctor asked him back to TARDIS, would he say yes? Could he leave behind the life he'd built up for himself? He knew he'd always been a free-lancer, but he was respected now and he almost shuddered at the thought of what had happened. He'd settled down.

But could he though, leave behind the life he'd gotten past so many obstacles to get to where he was? Friends, lovers, acquaintances, passers by in the street. This life was now… home to him. This Time, this place.

He thought, if it came down to it, he might not be able to just drop it all as he could have done before when he first met the Doctor. He had a responsibility now for Torchwood, for Cardiff, for the Earth. Because until the Doctor came back to save them from a fate that wasn't that far away, Jack was all they had, armed with only his knowledge of the future and a loyal team behind him.

But then even if the Doctor didn't come, Jack would try and find any means possible to save them. He would fight all the extra aliens that the Rift threw out at them; he'd find a way to try and stabilize the Rift's energy and he'd save this City and its people if it was the last thing he ever did. Because if the Doctor ever did come back, even after what was going to happen happened and Jack was the last survivor if everybody else died, the Doctor would see that he had tried. And that he hadn't just given up and run away. But then also, if the Doctor came back and the Doctor saw everybody was safe, he'd know Jack had saved the world. _But hopefully,_ Jack thought, _the outcome will be the latter and we will all make it through this._


End file.
